Alumni Profile: Myles Creed BA ’11
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Myles Creed BA ’11
Major: Communication
Hometown: Kotzebue, Alaska
Can you describe your Fulbright award, where you will be traveling, and what you’ll be doing while you’re there?
The Fulbright award is an English Teaching Assistantship at a Belgian university, but I am currently unaware of where the placement will be. I am planning on improving my Dutch and conducting research (possibly on endangered languages) while there.
What drew you to studying a foreign language? What excites you about the idea of teaching English in the country you have been placed?
I first studied Chinese at Lewis & Clark, and while studying abroad, I also studied Dutch and Vietnamese. I love learning languages because I can get to know people so much better in their own tongue. I am excited to continue teaching English in a completely different setting than I am in now.
Have you participated in any study abroad trips during your time at Lewis & Clark? If so, what was that experience like?
I studied abroad with Lewis & Clark in Vietnam in the spring of 2010. It was there that I realized how much I love languages and learning about different cultures through that medium. It really opened my eyes as to how much diversity the world has, both in languages and culture.
How do you think your Lewis & Clark education has contributed to you seeing yourself as a citizen in a global community?
Lewis & Clark’s international focus has defined the person I am today. Living in Akin, I made friends from all over the world, and I continue to expand my international circle every day. As a student from a small arctic Alaskan village, I would never have thought that I would have close friends from places as far flung as Botswana, Jamaica, Holland, or Japan.
What are your plans for the future, and how do you think your Fulbright experience will figure in those plans?
I plan to pursue a PhD in linguistics, focusing on endangered languages in America and abroad. The Fulbright Program will allow me to conduct research while simultaneously enhancing my Dutch (and perhaps French) language skills and general international awareness.
Any advice to share with other Lewis & Clark students applying for similar awards in the future?
I would advise future applicants to give it their all in their application because there is nothing more rewarding than becoming an international citizen and Fulbright is an amazing opportunity.
Is there anything else you’d like to say to future Lewis & Clark students?
Lewis & Clark is an amazing place, so take every second you have there and savor it.
